NORTHAMPTON — Florence Bank donated $25,000 last week to the Hampshire Foundation to bolster the restoration of the historic Hampshire County Courthouse.
The gift will benefit the capital campaign to restore the courthouse that sits on the corner of Main and King streets and is home to a number of community events. According to Hampshire Foundation Executive Director Todd Ford, the donation will be given annually in $5,000 increments and go toward the project’s top priority each year.
The courthouse belongs to everyone in Hampshire County, he said in an interview Saturday.
“That space is incredibly historic,” Ford said. “Our shared legacy is at stake, and I’m proud of the way the community has come together to support this.”
The 127-year-old building sits on a site rich with history. An old meetinghouse once occupied the property, and an early incident in Shays’ Rebellion took place on the site, Ford said. Because the iconic downtown building has slipped into decline, the state Legislature approved a $4 million bond bill to cover the cost of a restoration, Ford said.
Only $500,000 of the bond has so far been released, which the nonprofit foundation used to repair the front and back stairways in 2015. The stairways were brought up to code without sacrificing the building’s character, according to Ford.
Next, the foundation will use state funding and the gift from Florence Bank to tackle the tower of the building. The roof is in need of repair, the tower needs to be stabilized and water-proofed and windows need to be replaced, Ford said.
Looking ahead, Ford said the building’s original slate roof needs to be fixed, the building’s brownstone sides need maintenance and the entire foundation needs work. He hopes to see the project completed in five years, but said progress depends on state funding.
“The grounds require a pretty significant facelift, they get so much use,” Ford said. The property hosts the annual Downtown Summer Concert Series which began July 22 and will continue into the summer, as well as other community events.
“I’m planning on applying for CPA funding like the mayor did with Pulaski Park,” Ford said. “Hopefully, both sides of Main Street will have green outdoor space.”
According to a statement released by the Hampshire Foundation, Florence Bank President and CEO John F. Heaps Jr. said he was happy to support a historic facet of the city.
“We are pleased to support the efforts of the Hampshire Foundation and their work to preserve this Northampton landmark.” Heaps said. “We are fortunate to live in a region that is so rich with history, and the preservation of that sense of history is important to all of us.”